Well I was using a hand sander yesterday in my basement and before you knew it there was a cloud of dust in the air. Today when I down to my basement all of my furniture is lightly covered in dust! I am on my to HD to get some big tarps to cover the furniture with now but is there anything I can do for ventilation or to suck the dust out of the air in my basement? Even though they are 2 windows down there, they don't open. I think buying one of those dust catcher bags that attaches to my sander will be a good start.

Couple of thoughts.

A basement with two windows that don't open is basically a death trap. A fire at the top of the stairs will be a real bummer.

Having said that public service announcement you can try putting a big air filter on a widow fan an letting it run.

The other piece of advice is I have a RIGID random orbit sander that I use all the time for woodwork and drywall repairs. It has an attachment for a full size Shop Vac hose and it does a really good job of collecting the dust at source. The sandpaper it uses has holes and it sucks the air in through the sander head.

If your sander has a bag attachment you can probably attach a vacuum hose. Just be sure your vacuum filter is up to the task. You need a fine filter for drywall dust.

The windows in my basement are so small that only a small child could fit through. I never gave that scenario much thought if something were to happen at the top of the stairs though. I like the idea of hooking the hose of my Shopvac up to the sander. What about those Air Purifier towers that are supposed to pull particles and pollen and what have your out the air?

Drywall dust would kill one of those tower style purifiers in no time flat. You might be able to use them on another floor of the house but in the basement it just wouldn't be able to keep up with the dust.

The windows in my basement are so small that only a small child could fit through.

That is why many local building codes now require the retrofitting of a sufficiently large window well emergency egress as a condition to finishing off of basement spaces.

http://www.wellcraftwells.com/images/safety_graphic.jpg

Something to think about for piece of mind and resale value.

Bigmouth said this but it is worth repeating. I read in several other posts (unfortunately after I completed my drywall) that buying a regular rectangular furnace filter and attaching it with a bungy cord to the back of a 20 inch box fan is the way to go. You can buy almost any quality of filter (obviously the more you spend, the higher filtration you will get (handy for drywall dust)) but a 20" box fan will cycle a lot of air through the filter in a short amount of time.

Bigmouth said this but it is worth repeating. I read in several other posts (unfortunately after I completed my drywall) that buying a regular rectangular furnace filter and attaching it with a bungy cord to the back of a 20 inch box fan is the way to go. You can buy almost any quality of filter (obviously the more you spend, the higher filtration you will get (handy for drywall dust)) but a 20" box fan will cycle a lot of air through the filter in a short amount of time.

I build RC model airplanes and the box fan and filter works quite well at arresting balsa dust and man is it ever a fine dust!

I solved my dust issues with a few 4" 12 MERV filters, and one of those large warehouse fans. I built a frame to hold the filters, and encase fan. On the back I used some smaller filters. Basically It's a HEMPA filter on crack..

I didn't pay this much for my fan but this will give you an idea of the size.

http://www2.yardiac.com/long.asp?item_id=33893&AID=10378099&PID=500871

I just dealt with the same problems a couple of weeks ago in my basement with drywall dust.

While sanding, I used a 20x20 standing box fan and placed a 20x20 hvac filter behind it. I ran the fan on high all day. By the end of the day, the filter needed replacement since it was packed with drywall dust. The box fan is relatively cheap as well ($12) so if it dies, i wouldn't really care.

I went to Walmart today and picked up a box fan for 12 bucks and a filter...I am hoping this idea works...I will have it running on high all day.

This has nothing to do with the dust, but with the only one exit from the basement.

If the theater is in the basement you need another exit. Either put an egress window in, or at the minimum put a latter in the basement that goes up to trapdoor in the pantry or a closet.

This has nothing to do with the dust, but with the only one exit from the basement.

If the theater is in the basement you need another exit. Either put an egress window in, or at the minimum put a latter in the basement that goes up to trapdoor in the pantry or a closet.

Does the trapdoor meet the egress codes (typically IBC)? When I get around to doing my basement, installing an egress window will be difficult/expensive. A trapdoor might be easier ... although I could see an issue if someone put something on top of it.

ft

Does the trapdoor meet the egress codes (typically IBC)? When I get around to doing my basement, installing an egress window will be difficult/expensive. A trapdoor might be easier ... although I could see an issue if someone put something on top of it.

ft

I don't think it's that bad (labor or cost - wise). Cathan had it done...about $4000 if I remember correctly. Small price to pay IMHO. I think it was completed in one day. *I* personally would not have tried DIY, but it didn't look too hard...just lots and lots of labor!

Here's a link to his build pictures of the egress window installation - http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=12789797#post12789797

CJ

As CJ said, an egress window installation is not technical work, only backbreaking. If you can do the labor the only real cost is the diamond blade ($100), tool rental (~$100), the window well ($300 ish depending on depth) a couple of yards of stone pebbles and the window (~$250). Online instructions are available. Heck you figure out most of it just by reading my photo log.

I don't think it's that bad (labor or cost - wise). Cathan had it done...about $4000 if I remember correctly. Small price to pay IMHO. I think it was completed in one day. *I* personally would not have tried DIY, but it didn't look too hard...just lots and lots of labor!

Here's a link to his build pictures of the egress window installation - http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=12789797#post12789797

CJ
It's getting off of the original topic (BTW, the box fan with a filter strapped on is a good idea) ... so I'll stop after this.

For my house, installing an egress would be difficult because there's only one spot that it can go, and thats right under our gas fireplace. All other spots are block by our wrap-around porch, driveway, or garage.

To put the window in, we'd have to move an air conditioner unit (not a big deal), redo a lot of brick work, dig up the hole (I don't want a backhoe for this since we'd have to get into the neighbor's yard and that link you posted had a few guys and shovels) plus all of the regular work.

Maybe it's not as difficult as I imagine, but I'm thinking at least $5000, which in my book isn't cheap. But to get the permit, I'll need the egress, so it's do it or don't do the basement at all.

ft

You'll have to check local code on that. The egress is the prefered way to go, but adding the trap door for another exit is never a bad idea.